Ottawa 5, Buffalo 2
A shootout at the HSBC Corral. That’s what it could have been. Had the Buffalo Sabres ignited their offense like it can, it may have become an old fashioned up and down game. Instead it was more like the Ottawa Senators were shooting at targets, and it had a buffalo on the front and the name Ryan Miller on the back.
Buffalo was outshot 34-20, including 10-5 in the third period, and generated few threats in going 0-for-5 on the power play.
“We’ve got to do better,” Sabres co-captain Chris Drury said. “I have a lot of confidence in our guys and our ability to score, and our ability to get more than 20 shots in a game.” The loss was Buffalo’s most lopsided since a 4-0 defeat to Carolina in Game 4 of last year’s conference finals. And the Sabres continue to endure uncharacteristic lapses, committing 19 turnovers, two that led directly to Ottawa goals. “Was it nerves? Maybe they got a little bit rattled,” coach Lindy Ruff said. “I don’t know, but we had some guys who played uncharacteristically, and gave up the puck.”Ottawa’s Mike Fisher opened the scoring 4:32 in on a short-handed breakaway after Buffalo’s Dmitri Kalinin coughed up the puck at the Senators blue line. Just after Fisher’s goal, the Sabres went back on the power play but fell apart, big time, taking two penalties 19 seconds apart. On the ensuing four-on-three, after winning the face-off, the Sabres lost the puck behind the net, and Alfredsson bombed a shot under the blocker of Miller into the short side for a 2-0 Ottawa lead.
Maxim Afinogenov and Toni Lydman then scored for the Sabres. Emery kicked out a tasty rebound onto the stick of Afinogenov, who buried it behind the goalie from the bottom of the left circle. On the second goal, Jason Pominville won a faceoff, Lydman grabbed the puck, walked down right wall, stepped to the front of the net and beat Emery five-hole, to tie the game at two midway through the second period. Then the Sabres put their offense to bed.
At 7:41, the Senators’ fourth line did, Oleg Saprykin sneaking down the slot away from Ales Kotalik and redirecting McAmmond’s pass from the left-wing wall through Dmitri Kalinin and inside the right post for a 3-2 Ottawa lead. With 4:12 to go, Spezza sticked a Wade Redden rebound between the legs of both Chris Drury and Miller from the top of the crease to make it 4-2, the Senators’ second power-play goal of the game on six chances.
McAmmond scored an empty-net goal with 13 seconds to go.Ryan Miller remained upbeat, noting how the Sabres rallied to tie. “We can’t be too disheartened,” said Miller, who allowed two goals on the first four shots, but finished with 29 saves. “We battled back and we did have moments where we played really well.”
Buffalo continued its stretch of inconsistent postseason play, failing to build on the momentum after winning two straight to eliminate the New York Rangers in Game 6 on Sunday. Ottawa advanced in the first two rounds by beating Pittsburgh and New Jersey, losing only once in each series. “It’s a confidence thing,” said Ray Emery, who stopped 18 shots. “Eventually, with the skill we have and the team we have, we come out on top more often than not.”
And if their offense and special teams keep clicking like this, not only will the Senators finish on top, they will need a new target for their shooting practice.
